


Running

by amn1000



Category: Twilight (Movies), Twilight Series - All Media Types, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-13 20:54:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 19,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29284875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amn1000/pseuds/amn1000
Summary: Paul Lahote and his pack have guests. It's been 70 years since the Cullen family inhabited Forks and forever since Paul last felt interested in something. That changes when he stumbles upon someone in the forest. Will love guide him through his troubles or will he suffocate under the pressure? Find the accompanying song at the end of each chapter.
Relationships: Emmett Cullen/Paul Lahote





	1. Running

****

**Paul POV**

My mind traced the etchings on my ceiling, creating entire islands and livelihoods from mere blotches.

If I had a morning routine, this was it.

I carried on like this for some time until I was interrupted by a lone raindrop landing on my window. I watched it trickle down until it flattened at the base of the glass. Soon, it was joined by another droplet.

Then another.

And another.

Until my window resembled a gentle creek.

Snores coming from down the hall meant my dad was still asleep, so I knew it was early.

How early?

I couldn't tell apart from the peeking sun hinting it was just before 8 am - I normally slept for another 30 minutes. I quickly mourned those precious minutes of rest before comforting myself with the idea of a run.

Not wanting to wake my father down the hall, I slowly opened my drawer pulling out a pair of black, mid-thigh shorts along with a pair of socks and an olive t-shirt. Bringing myself in front of the bathroom mirror, I splashed cold water on my half-sleeping eyes and brushed my teeth before throwing on my clothes.

After tiptoeing to the front door, I reached for my trainers, the smell of yesterday's forest still fresh on their soles. I slipped them on and opened the door just enough for me to slip out.

The steam forming as my breath met the air told me it was cold. Seeing as my body was at a constant 110°F, I barely noticed the difference between my room and where I now stood outside.

Letting my greedy nostrils breathe in the fresh morning scents, I made my way to the edge of the forest already tugging at my shirt. I took off my t-shirt, then my shoes and socks, my shorts, and finally my briefs. After tossing my clothes behind a nearby bush, I took a deep breath and instinctively lunged forward landing on what were supposed to be my hands but were now massive paws. I shook heat into the air and fully adjusted to my new, towering form.

Already, I was picking up smells and sounds I was oblivious to before. The smell of crushed grass I had just walked over and the scent of lavender detergent lingering on my clothes caught my attention. I then closed my eyes and let my ears pick up what I presumed were the quick thudding heartbeats of a squirrel and her children nestled in a tree somewhere. I even managed to make out the snores coming from my house half a mile away.

A gentle breeze ran across my nose, and with it, the scent of a patch of Lewisia flowers. The smell was faint yet strong enough for me to follow. Before I took another breath, I began sprinting in the direction of the patch. Letting my legs push me forward, I took in the sights of the forest. A greyish, brown bird perched on a branch, startled by my presence, was beginning to take off, but I was long gone before its feet had even left the tree.

Running was the best part of being a shifter. We were faster than any animal, faster than any car.

Nothing could outrun us.

Well, almost nothing.

****

**3rd Person POV**

As Paul arrived at a clearing, the scent of the flower patch danced in the air.

He looked around and found what he had been looking for. A perfectly symmetrical patch lay at the center of the clearing as if it was performing for the trees around it.

He laid down next to the patch not wanting to disturb it.

His breathing slowed and soon he was on his side slowly closing his eyes.

A/N: Run by Hozier


	2. Flower Dreams

**Paul POV**

The forest was unfamiliar.

I knew each smell, each sound, even the texture of the soil of the forest near my house. But from where I stood, everything was unrecognizable.

I looked around trying to cling to something familiar but found nothing.

In a fit of despair and panic, I collapsed with no idea of where to go and with nothing to hold me upright.

I clasped my hands desperate to hold something I knew. I stared.

Hours passed, my shorts had become moist from the soil. My breathing was still heavy.

Then, a piercing smell filled the air and startled me from my staring. I shot up looking for the source. Again, I found nothing. By then, the scent had completely disappeared, leaving me where I began.

Just as I was about to sit back down, the scent teased at my nose again. I stood still afraid that I would scare it away. Slowly, I moved towards it, taking light steps, until I was out of the trees and facing the entrance of a cave. I was hesitant to enter but the scent, its fullness, its depth, its richness, beckoned to me. So I followed.

The inside of the cave was dim, slightly illuminated by something in the distance. I picked up my pace and continued delving further. As I rounded a corner, I came to see the most divine flower I could ever lay my eyes on.

It was whiter than any seafoam and shone brighter than any star.

"Beautiful," I breathed out.

I approached it wanting to simultaneously decipher its scent and engrave it into my memory.

**3rd Person POV**

Paul crouched on his feet and hands trying to carefully place his nose over the beaming flower.

He was taken aback.

He leaned forward again trying to understand the unique scent emanating from the flower.

It smelled familiar, yet foreign.

"A breeze over La Push beach," he explained to himself.

"Burning cherry wood," he continued.

"Lewisia flowers," he finished.

These scents were all familiar to Paul but the flower possessed an intensity and a depth he hadn't yet encountered.

He sat next to the flower trying to find the last piece to the puzzle, trying to understand what gave the flower such a unique scent.

He stared.

And stared.

And stared.

He sat there longer than he expected, yet didn't grow any less enamored.

He didn't want to leave.

But he had to.

Someone was calling for him.

**Paul POV**

I woke to the sound of Sam's booming voice in my head. I was still a wolf.

"Paul, we need you at my place for a pack meeting," he said as if he was apologizing.

"It's ok. Be right there. Gimme a few," I said letting him know I accepted his non-verbal apology. Sam was startled by my nonchalance. I could see why. Normally, I would've lashed out and said something I'd have regretted.

Over the past couple of weeks, my anger was tempered by feelings that I could best describe as boredom. I couldn't quite explain it, but nothing seemed worth getting angry over anymore. My family and pack thought I was finally maturing, but I doubted it.

I shook off whatever was left of my sleep, but something remained.

I trudged away from the patch I had laid next to and started towards Sam's place with the image of the glowing, white flower still dancing in my head and its scent lingering in the heart of my nose.

Once I was near my house, I phased back into human form and got dressed in the same clothes I left behind a bush. Knowing that I was probably already late, I sprinted to Sam and Emily's place.

I wasn't fully ready to interact with the rest of my pack, so I took a deep breath before opening the front door. I walked in and I could immediately feel everyone's eyes on me.

"Ok, flower boy, " Jacob boomed so everyone could hear.

"Were you out picking flowers," Quil snickered.

As I felt heat flood my cheeks, I lowered my head hoping that no one would notice. How could I forget that everyone could hear my thoughts while I was a wolf?

The flower patch I slept next to. The flower in my dreams.

They must've seen everything.

Before I could embarrass myself more, Sam interrupted us with his imposing voice.

"We have a situation," he said, commanding everyone's attention.

"I picked up a cluster of sickly sweet scents near the treaty line," he continued. At this point, everyone knew only one thing could leave behind such scents.

"Did you track it?" Jared interrupted.

A stammered "No" came from Sam's mouth.

"I believe we have visitors. Long term visitors," Sam stated. "If we're lucky, they won't be around longer than they need to."

"I need everyone to be attentive and cautious. Do not chase a scent if you are alone and do not, I repeat, do not attempt to fight a leech unless you have help," he finished.

We could all see the worry grow over Sam's expression.

It had been 70 years since our lands were inhabited by anyone other than our ancestors and the people of Forks. Our elders had told us this day would come, but so soon?

Sam took some minutes to remind us of the treaty laws.

"We get it, Sam," Embry sighed. "Golden eyes are allies. Red is dead," he smirked as if he had just written a Pulitzer winning piece.

Everyone collectively rolled their eyes before trickling out of the house.

Soon, it was just Jacob, Sam, and I in the room.

"We might need extra help," Sam said. "I- I have to make a phone call," he hesitated. I could hear his pulse elevate.

Sam? Flustered? That could mean only one thing.

Jacob and I looked at each other almost simultaneously.

"Leah," we mouthed in unison.

A/N: Eclipse by Innerwave


	3. Imprint

**Paul POV ******

********

********

I couldn't shake yesterday's meeting out of my head. Sam's worried expression coupled with the elders' warnings didn't exactly make for a calming duo.

I looked over at my clock which read 6:43 AM, more than an hour before I normally got up. I was beginning to believe I was a crap sleeper. Would I ever know a good night's sleep again?

In defeat, I slowly started tracing the etchings on my ceiling. The blotches now resembled deserted islands bursting with shrubs overcast by white clouds.

Before long, my teeth were brushed and I was already dressed wearing a grey t-shirt, navy blue thigh shorts, and socks. Following the same routine for the hundredth time, I tiptoed to the front door, put on my trainers, and slipped out of my house into the forest.

I decided not to phase, Jacob's "flower boy" still ringing in my memory. I couldn't risk a repeat of last time. I hated that my own thoughts weren't safe.

I went into the thick fog and began walking towards La Push beach.

As I was entering the last stretch of forest, my nose picked up the scent. The scent from my dream.

My heart began racing.

"This can't be real," I thought to myself. How could a scent I dreamt of follow me into the real world? Before I could even try to answer my own question, the scent welcomed me in. It carried my body through the motions in its direction. Without even noticing, I was already tracking it.

The closer I got to the source, the more I could make out what sounded like growls and roars. The roars grew louder and louder until one final growl erupted into the air and tapered into a whimper. I knew something happened to whatever had made those sounds.

"What could silence such a large animal?" I thought to myself. I was confused and scared - mostly scared - but a part of me was also curious. I slowly approached a tall shrub and slowly moved a part that was blocking my view of the clearing. I was not at all prepared for what I would see.

A set of broad shoulders lightly draped by a white shirt crouched over the body of a bear. As the shoulders moved, I could see them through the shirt. They were thick and muscled. I then traced the shoulders until it led me down a back that was just as defined. With each breath he took, his muscles expanded and squeezed. It's like they were being suffocated. That shirt did not belong there.

Looking to the left and right, I could easily see two powerful arms. Each muscle in his arms perfectly rested against each other and bulged like it was trying to escape the skin. That perfect, alabaster skin.

_Whiter than any seafoam, brighter than any star._

I was practically watering the shrub with my drool.

Never in my 20 years had I caught myself fantasizing about a guy. Though, I didn't really care too much about it since I was too busy trying to fill the hunger that possessed my eyes.

A gentle breeze then ran across the grass and traveled through his hair gently lifting his short curls. His scent was carried across the clearing directly into my nose, the earth delivered him to me. I closed my eyes and breathed in every last part of him I could.

I let out a quiet gasp.

_A breeze over La Push beach, burning cherry wood, and Lewisia flowers._

His scent was everything I sought and more. His scent drew me here.

He swiftly turned around and his eyes darted in my direction. He must've heard me gasp. It wasn't long before he found my eyes and pierced them with his own.

Slowly, the shrub and trees began to disappear one by one leaving just him.

In his molten gold eyes, I saw my past meet my future.

I understood that every step I took as a child, every scraped knee, every argument, every decision led me here and led me to him.

Gravity no longer held any power over me.

If I fell, it would be into him and not the ground.

I saw what we could do and what we could be together.

"Beautiful," I exhaled as my knees hit the ground.

Still locked into his eyes, I didn't notice he was now in front of me.

His mouth started opening, letting his flawless teeth shine against the light. I think he was speaking but all I could do was stare. His divinity overwhelmed me to the point where I didn't even notice the blood on his chin and shirt.

After what seemed like a lifetime, all I managed to do was excessively blink - my eyes had dried out. That was plenty to ground me long enough to turn around and run. I phased and shred my clothes in the process, but it didn't matter.

I had to get out of there.

A/N: Ms by alt-J


	4. Stranger in the Forest

**Emmet POV**

I couldn't remember the last time I hunted. We were all so busy with the move, the boxes, the cars, and wiping our identities, that I forgot to keep my thirst under control. I almost caused a scene after dropping something off for Carlisle at the hospital. Man, that would've ended badly if he wasn't there to restrain me back into the car.

"Son, what's the one thing I ask of you?" he smiled.

"Not to bite the humans," I said, trying to avoid eye contact with him.

"Good boy," he smiled as he shoved me into the car as gently as he could.

I drove back to our new house and could hear that everyone was home, well except Carlisle of course. I heard scribbles coming from Esme's office meaning she was probably working on some complex design. I never really understood any of her work or the scratches of some language that looked like math in the corners. They were always super complex, even for a vampire. Alice and Jasper were unloading all of Alice's clothes. All of them. I felt sorry for Jasper, his speed couldn't help him there. While they carried box after box, despondent music came from the living room so I knew Edward was brooding over the piano yet again.

"Loser," I chuckled in my head.

"Shut Up!" he said while looking out the window still playing the piano.

Edward's emotions and mind-reading had become staples of our family life. I like to think of them as a really ugly carpet and a broken lamp that you can't get rid of because the house would feel totally different without them.

"I'm not an ugly carpet or a broken lamp," he scorned with furrowed brows. "I'm a beautiful Persian rug and a Givenchy chandelier."

Everyone in the house laughed making Ed smash the piano keys even harder.

I walked to my room and thought about changing into better clothes. I thought about how messy my white shirt would get from the blood but then decided that it didn't really matter since Alice would just buy me a new one anyway. Before I had to hear more of Ed's incessant playing, I lunged out of my window and landed in the forest. My legs carried me wherever my nose told them to go. I knew what I was looking for so I let loose.

My nose caught a scent that was the mixture of roots, creek water, and berries and I immediately knew what it was. "It's mine," I mouthed. My eyes turned black and my throat began to itch from thirst. I walked into a clearing and saw my meal, a bear, trying to reach berries in a high bush. Without even thinking, I ran up and started toying with it. Every time it managed to get hold of some berries, I quickly stole them from its paw and threw them to the side, it roared and growled. Once I felt like I had enough, I let it roar one last time before swiftly ending its life. Carlisle taught us that it's important to show compassion whenever possible, so I made sure the bear didn't see or feel it coming. After I was sure the bear wouldn't feel a thing, I crouched over its body, raised its head, and sunk my teeth in its jugular. These few minutes would be enough to hold me over for the next three weeks. I looked down at my shirt, my teeth still buried, and thought about how Esme would be slightly upset over the mess. I started to picture the whole thing before a gasp from behind interrupted me.

I swiftly turned around and searched for what had made the sound. I immediately locked into the two most radiant eyes I could ever hope to encounter. I could feel the eyes looking past my face and into my existence. I felt vulnerable but comforted, comforted enough to approach the owner of these two ethereal eyes. Before the head of the bear had even touched the ground, I was already in front of a shrub looking down at a tawny face that held sharp eyebrows, a strong nose and jaw, and delicate pink-tinted lips. I breathed in his scent and was slightly amazed to smell something that wasn't fully human. He smelled a lot like the forest we were in, but with hints of a fireplace.

"You aren't human are you?" I asked as I drew my eyes to his muscled chest poking at his grey shirt.

He didn't move or speak. All he did was stare.

"Hi, I'm Emmett," I introduced myself, extending my hand forward. "What's your name?"

Still nothing.

I guess he might've been a little scared by the blood dripping down my chin and hands because he took off before he could even tell me his name. As he took his second stride, he outgrew his clothes in a matter of milliseconds and turned into a mountainous beast that accelerated into a speed I've only ever seen vampires use before. Now, it was my turn to stare because I was completely surprised. I stood there for a couple of seconds until I picked up the smell of the bear and started feeding again. As soon as I finished my meal, I rushed home with his eyes and deep skin still in mind. Already, this town wasn't like any of the others I had been to.

Nearing home, I picked up the smell of antiseptic meaning Carlisle was probably back home. I jumped and entered through my window to avoid drawing attention to myself but I should've known better than to think I could have privacy in this house of all places. My feet hadn't even touched the ground but Edward was already in my room looking at me with narrowed eyes.

"Got bored of staring at the rain so you came to bother me huh?" I heaved.

Edward would've normally overreacted and rolled his eyes but he pushed past the insult. "Who is he?" he asked like it was an interrogation.

"I don't know who you're talking about," I smirked.

"Let me jog your memory," he spoke like he was talking to a child. "Sharp eyebrows, a strong nose and jaw, and delicate pink-tinted lips. Your words," his face was smug.

My nostrils flared and I began to bare my teeth before catching myself. It was instinct, I couldn't help it. Usually, I was the one provoking Edward but he had gotten me this time. He raised his eyebrows feigning surprise. He knew that he had struck a chord. I opened my mouth as I tried getting a word out but we were interrupted by Alice downstairs.

"Eeemmeeett," she stretched my name out.

Crap, I was already dealing with Mr. Existential here but did I have to deal with Thing 1 and Thing 2?

Alice appeared at my doorway with her mouth scrunched. I could tell she was trying to figure something out.

"What have you been up to?" she questioned.

"As you can probably tell, I just got back from hunting," I said with sass, pointing to my bloodied shirt. "For someone who can see into the future, you really can't see what's in front of you," I chuckled.

She rolled her eyes, sighed, and smiled before she scrunched her nose. "What is that horrible wet dog smell?"

"We hadn't gotten to that part yet," Ed gave a gentle smile and looked in my direction.

Alice adjusted to the scent before starting again. "It's just that I can't see your future," she spoke with concern. "The edges aren't blurry, the whole thing is."

And with that, Esme, Carlisle, and Jasper sped to my doorway.

"What do you mean you can't see Emmett's future," Esme asked as she gripped my shoulder.

Alice's frustration showed, "I don't know, I just can't. It slowly grew more and more blurry until I couldn't see it anymore!"

Carlisle finally spoke up, "Alice, when did this start?" He furrowed his brows and rubbed his chin.

She quickly answered, "A couple of minutes ago. Emmett was still out of the house."

All the eyes in the room quickly shifted onto me.

"You were hunting, right?" Carlisle asked which I answered with a firm nod.

Immediately I thought of the stranger I met in the clearing. Images of his golden skin and celestial eyes had etched themselves into my memory. Before I could get to my memory of his lips, Edward interrupted me.

"Someone saw Emmett feeding," he grinned.

Everyone's eyes widened. A look of terror washed over their faces.

Sensing their fear, Jasper calmed the room. "It's a problem that has a solution," he assured.

After a few seconds of calm, Ed was the first to speak up, "I don't think it'll be a problem. Emmett believes the person wasn't human."

I quickly explained how I tried to be nice by approaching the person but that they had run off and transformed into a humongous wolf. I skipped the part about his eyes, they didn't need to know that.

Carlisle's shoulders relaxed and with that so did everyone else. I could see that what I said was enough to calm his fears.

He spoke, "I believe there is nothing to worry about. I'm confident Emmett was seen by a Quileute shapeshifter. They will do us no harm as long as we obey the treaty we discussed earlier." His words soothed the tension in the room. "As for your future, I still do not have a solution but we will figure it out. Until then, Alice will periodically watch your future," he said with a reassuring smile. "Just don't do anything reckless," he finished.

Alice laughed, "That explains the smell."

After a couple of seconds, everyone but Edward had already walked out of my room. Just as he was leaving, he turned around and whispered loud enough for me to hear, "You left out the part where you thought he was beautiful." He laughed as he went down the stairs.

I hated him for pointing it out but he wasn't really wrong.

I was daydreaming of someone I had just met and seethed at the thought of someone else touching them. I hated myself for not grabbing his hand when I had the chance.

And I didn't even know his name.

A/N: Ode to a Conversation Stuck in Your Throat by Del Water Gap


	5. No More Running

A/N: This story contains a depiction of bodily harm/blood. I placed the scene between a set of asterisks (***) so you can avoid it if you want. Let me know what you think!

**Paul POV**

Once I had started running, I didn't stop until I was deep into Canadian territory.

There, I phased back and crouched under a raised rock. I couldn't be seen. I was embarrassed. It couldn't be my fault, right? Something inside me was broken, part of me didn't work. That's the only thing that made sense. Why else would I imp-

I didn't want to breathe. I was scared that if I breathed I wouldn't be able to stop what came after. So I held my breath. I hoped my body would forget about me and focus on the pressure that grew in my chest. But, my body caved and gasped for air.

By the first gasp, my face was in my hands. By the second, both were soaked in my tears. And by the third, I was screaming.

I was convulsing and I couldn't stop. My cries were interspersed with screams. No matter how hard I tried, my body wouldn't let go of the imprint. Slowly, my despair boiled into anger. For the first time in weeks, I felt the familiar torch of rage until it grew into something I didn't recognize altogether. I cursed at the universe for mistreating me, for dealing me an impossible fate. I dared for a fight and called her a coward.

But there was no response.

***

So I scratched at the dirt. And then the rock. My fingers and nails were soiled and raw, covered in blood moistened dirt. My blood dripped down my wrist and soaked the forest floor. I winced and yelled at my hands for being too weak.

***

My body wasn't my own anymore. It threw itself forward and landed on its paws. It knew I wouldn't stop and it knew that I would only be safe in this form.

Immediately, Sam's thoughts flooded in. His patrol was interrupted by my fervor. He could feel that I was in danger and demanded I give him my location. I refused to respond and blocked my mind hoping that he would drop it, but it was pointless. He feared for my safety so he ordered me to return.

"Come home now!" he boomed.

I couldn't refuse even if I wanted to. My legs moved on their own in the direction I came from. All this happened without a single thought from me. I was trapped in a body that seemed foreign.

As the trees blurred into green blotches past me, the scent of home increased. When I was sure I was back in Quileute forest, I knew that Sam's order no longer bound me, so I phased back and collapsed on my knees and my completely healed hands. I began to cry, my eyes were picking up where they had left off. After some time, my cries gradually tapered. I remember looking up at the sky and trees before my eyes faded shut.

_I was in my room laying in bed before I heard a knock on my window. I removed my blanket down and sat up. My window slid up until a head of short curls and their scent made their way in. I knew right away it could only be one person. His set of broad shoulders barely squeezed past my window frame. After sliding in his torso, he gripped the wall for balance and left an impression of his fingers. He slid in one leg then the other. It was a whole performance._

_I could tell he had a hard time so I laughed. He met my eyes and let out a half-embarrassed chuckle. He made his way over to the corner of my bed and sat while putting his hand on my shin. His touch raised the hairs on my leg and I tensed just before relaxing. He smiled, putting his dimples on full display. Without shifting his gaze, he moved closer and his hand followed. It rested on my knee. His golden eyes looked for permission in mine, but they didn't have to look far. He moved even closer and put his hand on my thigh. I felt my stomach twist as his touch sent shivers through my body. He leaned in while sliding his hand further up my leg. His eyes started to close and his lips pursed forward. I could feel his hand reach the edge of my briefs. I dug my hand in his hair to pull him in and put the other on his hand to help him slide under my briefs. Just as our lips were about to connect, his face blurred and disappeared._

Even my dreams knew what I couldn't have.

**3rd Person POV**

While Paul laid on the forest floor, his mouth curved into a soft smile. As his hands began to grip the soil, Seth pushed past the trees and stumbled upon Paul's motionless body.

"Paul!" Seth cried out with wide eyes.

Seth ran to Paul and kneeled to check his pulse, he was only sleeping. Seth let out a relieved sigh and took off his jacket before using it to cover Paul. He pulled him into his arms and hoisted themselves up. Paul's head hung over Seth's arm and bobbed with every step they took towards Sam's place. He was still fast asleep.

The rest of the pack smelled them coming, but it was Sam storming out that made them worried. Sam rushed down the front stairs followed by Jacob, then Quil, Jared, and Embry. He ran and gently took Paul out of Seth's arms and started for his house. Everyone followed without saying a word, they knew it was not the time to ask questions.

Paul's dad was busy in the kitchen until he saw the group and his unconscious son in Sam's arms. He scrambled through the front door and called for his son.

"My baby, what's wrong?" he pleaded for an answer, but none came.

He led Sam to Paul's room and helped gently lay his son down on the bed. They both softly pulled a blanket over him then headed back outside.

"What happened?" Paul's father demanded.

"I'm sorry sir but I really don't know. I was patrolling the woods when I found him unconscious on the floor," Seth explained with wet eyes. "I didn't know what else to do so I brought him to Sam."

They turned to Sam for answers.

Sam looked at Paul's father, "I was patrolling earlier when I felt him phase. His thoughts were pained and violent. More violent than they used to be." His face washed with guilt, "I was worried he would do something to himself, so I ordered him to come back. I think I'm to blame and I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault son. You were just looking out for him," Paul's father comforted Sam. "Like you said, something was upsetting him before." He looked at the ground for a moment then up at the pack. "Do you mind staying for a while? If it's as bad as you say it is, he's going to need everyone."

They all gave strong nods.

**Paul POV**

My dad's weight on the corner of the bed sunk and moved the mattress enough to pull me out of my sleep. I raised my head and frantically looked around. My vision was still blurry, but I could still make out the moonlight leaking through my window curtain.

My father whispered, "Sorry to wake you."

I rested my head back on my pillow and covered my eyes with the backs of my hands. "It's ok, I was just tired," I croaked with my dry throat.

There was a moment where neither of us spoke, almost like he wasn't there. It was silent and I wished it would've stayed that way.

"You were found in the woods Paul," he choked. "I can tell something's bothering you. I can see the dried tears on your cheeks. Please tell me what's wrong."

I couldn't tell him that I had imprinted on a blood-sucking vampire, could I? I pressed my tongue on the roof of my mouth, trying to hold back my insides. I refused to tell him, but the thought of him feeling like he wasn't enough for his son crushed me.

I struggled, "Do you trust me, dad?"

"Of course I do. I would believe you even if you said it was dry on a rainy day," he said with an uncomfortable laugh.

"I need you to believe me when I tell you that I'm fixing it," I swallowed my lips. "If I ever get into trouble, I'll come to you right away."

His gaze shifted down to the floor. He was obviously disappointed by my answer, but he was relieved I was talking to him. "I believe you," he gripped and shook my hand. "If you won't talk to me about it yet, the least you could do is tell them," he said as he tilted his head in the direction of our front yard.

I had just noticed the scent of my pack. Six heartbeats thudded in my ear so I knew Sam, Jacob, Seth, Jared, Quil, and Embry were outside waiting for me. I was hanging on by a thread, but I knew they wouldn't leave after everything that happened. When my father was out of the room, I dragged myself out of bed and into the bathroom where I washed my face and wiped the dried tears off my cheeks.

I walked over to the front door and reached for the knob. I knew they heard me approach and were waiting for the door to open. Right as my face peeked behind the swinging door, Seth started to walk toward me but was held back by Sam. I wasn't even halfway to them before Sam - then everyone else - walked toward me. Just as we were closing the distance, Embry raised his nose into the air and sniffed.

"There's a leech nearby," he said looking for the scent until it led him to me.

We hadn't even touched, yet his scent lingered on me.

I phased and gunned for the forest, hoping to disappear, as my thoughts drifted to the clearing and the handsome stranger I imprinted on. These thoughts warmed my body enough to make me forget the rest of what happened, enough to forget my surroundings, enough not to notice that the rest of the pack had shifted and followed me. Their thoughts flooded in.

_You imprinted!_

_A leech?_

_Imprinted on a blood-sucker?_

_On a vampire!_

_Impossible!_

_What do we do?_

They saw the whole thing play out in my mind.

At that point, I didn't have anything left to use except anger, so I tackled Embry to the floor with the back of his neck in my jaws. "Why can't you ever keep your mouth shut you fuck?" I thought as I thrashed him around.

Quil and Jared separated us just as Sam ordered everyone to shift out of our wolves. He didn't want anyone else getting attacked. They ran back to fetch their clothes and shifted before changing - Jared tossed me his shirt to tie around my waist.

I could see that Embry's neck had deep gashes, but they were nearly healed shut when Sam spoke.

He thundered, "Paul, we know you imprinted on a vampire."

He grabbed my shoulder, making me wince. I was prepared for a blow to the face that never came. I opened my eyes to see his brows were angled upward. Was that a look of sadness on his face?

He hugged me, squeezing the breath out of my lungs.

The shock hadn't even set in before I felt five more sets of arms wrap around us and saw that everyone was hugging me, even Embry. Tears escaped my eyes as I laughed, I was absolutely hysterical. They didn't react and only hugged me tighter, which only caused me to cry harder.

"Don't go anywhere," Seth whimpered from behind.

"I'm not, okay," I cried as I reached back to massage his hair. "I promise."

I looked up to see Sam's face glossed over with a look of regret. He was remembering something.

We all were.

"Please..." Sam begged. "No more running."

**. . .**

Leah was the first and only female shifter of our pack.

Her past with Sam made our pack dynamics... well... interesting to say the least.

When Sam imprinted on Emily, it left her severed. And alone.

Before she phased, the pack had only ever seen glimpses of Sam's memories. After she joined, we understood a little more why she held such grief and pain. We couldn't hate her for it - even if we were caught in the crossfire of her memories - so we stayed quiet.

It didn't last long, though.

Five years ago, the pack was chasing a leech past the Oregon border, we were right on her tail.

We were one stride away from ripping her to shreds. But, before we could catch her, Leah made eye contact with her. She tumbled and crashed into a tree causing it to break under her weight.

Everyone stopped, halted by her thoughts.

She had imprinted.

Before we could say anything, she sped off in an unknown direction and blocked her mind with images of morning fog.

The rest of us silently stood there with feelings of guilt. None of us had tried to stop her. None of us had even tried to chase her.

That was the last time any of us saw her. And after that night, we no longer heard her thoughts.

By the next morning, her clothes were gone and, eventually, her scent disappeared altogether. Any trace of her had evaporated.

All we had was a scribbled note she left on Seth's pillow.

__

__

_Don't come looking for me._

_Your big sister loves you._

_-L_

It's all Seth thinks about.

I can still catch glimpses of Leah's empty room in his thoughts.

A/N: Weymouth by The Macrobats


	6. Two Sides

**Emmett POV**

It was one of the nights I wished I could sleep. I would've killed to be able to dream and let my mind convince me I was back in the clearing. The things I would've done differently.

While I was reliving my brief moments with the shapeshifter over and over in my head, a knock came from outside before Jasper let himself in and closed the door.

"I can feel your cocktail of yearning and libido 100 feet from the driveway," he began. "If you were any younger, I would go with puberty, but that would be weird wouldn't it?" he joked.

My mood had lightened, I couldn't tell if it was his conversation or his tricks that were making me feel calm.

"I was just thinking about the shapeshifter and how the situation could've ended differently. It's like a tape stuck on replay in my head," I admitted. "Not to be dramatic, but I think my brain might be broken."

"The thought has crossed our minds maybe once or twice," Jasper smiled. "But, if I'm being honest, I think I know what's happening." His eyes glazed over which meant he was thinking of Alice, "I sense it in Esme when Carlisle spends long nights at the hospital and in myself when Alice leaves on one of her shopping trips." His attention came back to me, "It's different for everyone, but it's all cut from the same cloth."

I ran my fingers through my hair and twisted my lips. I perfectly understood what he was suggesting but didn't want to admit it had happened so soon, after just _one_ encounter. "I met him once and I didn't even get his name," I said. I was trying to downplay the situation, maybe just enough to trick myself. "Do you really think that's what it is?" I searched his eyes for a response.

"Like I said, it's different for everyone," he answered as he shook me by my shoulder. "But I think you already have the answer."

Just then, Alice knocked on the door. "Hey Emmett, can I talk to you?" she said with a hollow timbre which never was a good thing. "Jazz, can you step out a bit?" she begged with her eyes.

"Of course, but don't take too long," he winked. I could tell he was worried because his eyes never left her as he closed the door.

Alice waited for Jasper to be far enough away from the door before she spoke. "Hey Em, I wanted to tell you this first, because I didn't want you to hear it from somebody else," she began; I noticed her eyebrows matched the angle of her pixie hair. "Your future is still blurry to me. I haven't been able to pick up much, except for one thing." Her hand moved up to her lips just as she was remembering what she had seen. Then, her hand moved to circle over her ear, "The last time I checked, I heard crying. It sounded like your voice, so I got worried."

Even though Alice only saw subjective possibilities, the fact this was the only thing she picked up meant it was very likely to happen. I was definitely worried, but not as much as I should've been. At that point, I didn't have much to worry about, not much to lose or cry over. What could her vision even mean?

"Thanks, Alice, but I have no idea what it means," I whined, hoping she would give me some kind of answer.

"I'm only the messenger," she shrugged. "We _could_ look at this as a good thing. Before, we didn't know if your life was in danger, but now, we at least know you'll be around. Even if in the future you're a crybaby."

I knew she was right, and she saw it. She felt _so_ satisfied with her answer that she left with a small smirk. Just as she was about to close the door, we heard Carlisle call us downstairs for a meeting. Ed, Jasper, Alice, and I sped into the living room where we saw Carlisle and Esme locking arms. Everyone was curious, we hadn't had a family meeting since we decided to move. Carlisle must've blocked his thoughts too since Edward was looking at him just as intensely as the rest of us were.

"Apologies for the interruption. I will make sure to keep it brief," Carlisle started. "Some of us already met the Quileute shapeshifters 70 years ago, others did not. Seeing as Emmett has already had an encounter with one, I believe it is only respectful that we introduce ourselves."

The hairs on my skin stood up and venom pooled in my mouth. Jasper immediately noticed and sent a brush of calm over my face. He misinterpreted my reaction. I wasn't prepared to fight anyone; I was just nervous at the thought of meeting the shifter again.

"How will we notify them of the meeting?" Edward asked the group.

"That should be the easiest part," Carlisle smiled at us. "We will stand at the treaty line. Our scent should be enough to let them know where we are."

Carlisle always carried himself with an air of graciousness and composure. Even during uncertain times like these, he managed to follow his principles. It was like he was the love child of Jesus and Queen Elizabeth. Still, it was something I admired about him, and something Edward _worshipped_ him for. Out of all of us, Ed was the most assured that his soul was damned, but something about the way Carlisle created our humane lifestyle convinced him, even if just a little, that there was hope for people like us. It got to the point where he started copying little things that Carlisle did. He thought no one would notice when he bought Carlisle's exact baseball shirt to wear to our games or when he tried copying his hairstyle. Carlisle even buttoned Edward's shirt last time we played because he knew it would mean the world to Ed. It reminded us of a father preparing his 10-year-old son for a game. Esme thought it was endearing and cute, and to be honest, it kind of was. As these memories filled my head, I saw Edward hold back a smile which meant he was prying into my thoughts.

Carlisle then interrupted my train of thought with his stern voice, "If you haven't already, feed. We will meet at the treaty line at exactly noon." He closed his eyes and raised his brows before ending, "And please, try to be on your best behavior."

" _Okay_ dad, there's nothing to worry about," I laughed trying to lighten the mood. But if anything, I was probably the most worried out of all of us. Would I finally get to meet the shifter? Would he even like me? Was he even into guys?!

Ed heard my internal monologue, flicked my temple, and ran out the door before I could wrap my hands around his scrawny, little neck. I didn't even try to chase him; he was too fast.

After promising to snap Edward's neck later, I headed up back to my room.

The taste of today's bear was still fresh on my tongue. I didn't need to hunt, let alone want to. All I was in the mood for was listening to music. So, I popped on my headphones and chose a song before sprawling myself over my futon. I stared out the glass panes into the moon-lit forest until the sun peeped from the horizon. By morning, the same song was still blasting in my ears. As hard as I tried, my thoughts and whole body were pulled to his face.

Even the song reminded me of him.  
  
  


**Paul POV**

Last night still felt like a fever dream. I would've thought none of it happened if it wasn't impossible for me to catch a fever in the first place. I wasn't expecting my pack, even Sam, to accept my imprint but I was happy our pack came first. Now, I was just a bit jealous. I was jealous that they had all seen my imprint since I wanted to keep him to myself. But what could I expect? Everyone's thoughts were broadcasted to everyone else.

It was Quil and mine's turn to patrol before noon. Sam made it a rule to never block your mind on a patrol, so I had to let Quil into my thoughts. I tried to think of my imprint as little as possible, but whenever I slipped, I could hear Quil's giggling in my head.

"What're you laughing at, dog breath?" I snickered.

"Nothing," he tried containing his laughs. "You just remind me of an old, senile person. I'm literally just sitting here while you watch reruns of the same stuff in your head."

"You're just jealous because you haven't imprinted yet," I thought with added smugness. "Maybe if you had someone, you could be old and senile like me."

He rolled his eyes before muttering out, "Shut up fleabag."

Quil and I were at opposite ends of Quileute forest, he was on the end closer to La Push and I was on the end closer to Olympia. We had decided we could cover more ground that way so that we wouldn't have to patrol for so long. Sam recommended we stay no more than a mile apart, but he didn't have to know.

We were about 20 minutes into our patrol when I immediately picked up multiple sickly-sweet scents coming from the treaty line. My instincts nearly took over until I heard Quil in my head yelling at me to wait. But it wasn't just sickly-sweet scents I had picked up; I could smell _him_ too. I felt a tug at the front of my body pulling me towards him. All the hairs on my body stood and pointed in the direction his scent was coming from as if to let me know where I had to go. I then heard Quil's howl shake through the forest, letting the others know we needed them. I knew it was dangerous and went against everything Sam taught me to do, but I had to follow it. Before Sam could phase and order me to stay put, I took off.

Everything I dreamt of was about to come true, but I couldn't help but wonder if he was willing to look past me being a shifter and a guy or if he would even accept the imprint.

Not even a minute after I had first picked up the scent, I broke out of the trees and saw 5 sets of golden eyes dilate and stare. They were all breathtaking. But none even came close to the last pair that looked at me.  
  
  


**Emmet POV**

We all met on our side of the treaty line just like Carlisle had asked. He and Esme were surprised that I showed up before anyone else did. I tried playing it off by saying that I had nothing better to do, which was true, but I knew there was _someone_ else who mattered more. Soon, we were joined by Edward, then Alice and Jasper. We all waited no more than two minutes before a deafening howl echoed through the forest. We all covered our sensitive ears and growled in pain.

As the howl finished rustling the leaves, a giant wolf with ashen fur exited the tree line. By the fireplace smell he leaked into the air and his fur, I could tell this was my shifter. Everyone but Carlisle and I tensed and clawed their hands until Jasper caught himself and placated us. Then, once everybody was calm, he raised his eyebrows and looked at me. I knew he picked up on the so-called 'cocktail' of emotions I was feeling for the wolf right in front of us.

I never broke eye contact with the shifter and, from what I could tell, neither did he. At that moment, I didn't really care what Jasper would sense or what Edward could hear, I just wanted to enjoy what I couldn't the last time we met. So, I took my time appreciating him. I admired how tall he was in his wolf form; he was the tallest there. However, his russet eyes were what I still liked the most. No matter how much I looked into them, it was never enough.

I walked near the treaty line, as close as I could get to him. Slowly, he crouched on his front paws and bowed his head while sharp, tiny whines escaped his jaws. He wasn't going to hurt me, and I wanted to let him know that I wouldn't either. It was the first conversation we had if you could even call it that. I knelt on one knee and reached over to pet his snout exactly as Edward and Esme picked me up by my arms and dragged me away from the treaty line.

"Sorry Em, but we can't let you cross," Esme cooed, trying to comfort me. "At least not before the rest of his pack arrives."

She was right. Was I really about to risk it all for him? I had done stupidly irresponsible things before but nothing this reckless. Despite that, the answer to my question was still a positive yes.

The sound of crunching leaves broke my focus. I looked up to see six other wolves emerge from the forest and join mine. Each had its own fur color and were all different sizes, but they all still loomed above me. As they came forward, my shifter took steps behind a larger wolf with night-black fur who I assumed was the leader of some sort. By the control in their steps, I could tell they were organized and trained. A _little_ scary if you ask me.

Carlisle was the first to speak up, "Thank you for being here. We apologize for the informal nature of this get-together."

A snort came from the leader.

Carlisle continued, "We know you cannot speak in this form and that you would much rather prefer to remain in it. So, my son Edward, who is a mind-reader, will do a bit of translating for us."  
  
  
  
  
  


A/N: Deep in Love by Bonny Light Horseman


	7. Impulse

**Paul POV**

_"A mind reader?"_

_"Mind reader!"_

_"Our own thoughts"_

_"That's so badass"_

_"Badass? He's a threat!"_

"Quiet!" Sam thundered in our heads. "Everyone, just listen... It's something I definitely did not expect. He paused before continuing, "Just try to control your thoughts. Don't reveal anything you want them to know."

A mind reader? The only form of telepathy I've ever encountered was our pack mind. Was it possible that he heard everything I was thinking about the vampire on his left? Almost as soon as I asked myself the question, Edward looked in my direction and gave a gentle nod. The hairs on my back stood and I could feel my body heat rising to the top of my head. I hoped he would hear, "Stupid leech. Stay out of my head!"

Sam noticed I was in a fluster and asked me to calm down.

"Are you good?" he whispered in my head.

"Yeah, it's just that...." I trailed off as my thoughts went to the mind reader, and then to my imprint.

"Ohhhhhhhh," Sam dragged out. He started picturing my imprint in his head, "That's him, isn't it?"

A "Yeah," was all I could produce.

We weren't exactly sure how powerful of a mind reader Edward was. We didn't know if he could only focus on a single thing at the forefront of someone's thoughts or if he could see everything, even the things you were trying to hide. So, we only thought in brief sentences and tried to avoid picturing an entire memory. While we were exchanging brief thoughts this way, we saw that Edward's expression was focused. His eyebrows were also a bit scrunched, meaning he was probably frustrated. That's how we knew that we were playing at the limits of his ability.

Sam started speaking to Edward, "For now, we would just like to review the terms of the treaty."

Edward relayed the message to the man who I assumed was their leader. He introduced himself and his family before speaking on the treaty, "My name is Carlisle, and this is my family. My wife here is Esme, my daughter is Alice, and my three sons are Edward, Jasper, and Emmett."

_Emmett..._

_Emmett..._

_Emmett..._

I repeated his name over and over again trying to carve it into the depths of my memory. The sound, the feeling, the taste of his name in my mouth was all I wanted to know.

Like my own heartbeat, I wanted his name to be a part of myself that I would never have to live without.

Carlisle's voice snapped me out of my haze, "As for the treaty, may we assume it remains unchanged?"

"Yes, though we would like to strongly emphasize the first clause," Sam thought to Edward who repeated the message to the rest of his family.

"As you can tell by our eye color, we still do not feed on humans and remain vegetarians in some sense of the word," Carlisle attempted a flimsy joke. "And in terms of the second clause..."

He was stopped by Edward who signaled Carlisle with his hand to wait. Edward was trying to pick up on what Sam was thinking. Edward spoke to his family, squinting at Sam while he pulled thoughts out of his head. "We would like to amend the second clause," Edward spoke as if he was struggling to understand Sam's mind.

"In what sense," Carlisle quickly probed.

A minute of silence passed before Sam finished thinking and turned to me.

"Considering that it would be impossible to stay away," Sam was referring to my imprint. "I would like to work out a solution for now."

"I would like to propose that certain areas become neutral ground," Sam answered Carlisle.

Our ancestors thought of the Cullens and other leeches with the highest form of disgust; they feared and despised the very existence of vampires and their lifestyle. This hostility was part of our stories, our culture, and our lives. Each pack member was familiar with the stories of the cold ones who attacked our people generations ago and how the incident impacted our tribe and our very own futures. It was the reason we were shifters. And it was also the reason why I was so afraid of telling others about my imprint. So, it was no surprise that Carlisle's undisturbed appearance was replaced by one of surprise when he heard Sam's proposition.

"I'm sorry, but what do you mean?" was all Carlisle could muster.

"The relationship between our two sides has long been one of bitterness," Sam's words were repeated by Edward. "I have reason to believe that it's time for a change," Sam said as he pictured part of my memory of the imprint.

All the wolves understood.

My imprint had kicked off something unforeseen; we were now in uncharted waters. Whether this would end in harmony neither of our sides had seen or even more death and injury, we didn't know.

Edward was still recovering from the words that came from his own mouth, and so were the rest of his family members. Emmett's face was different, however. His eyes belonged more to a child on Christmas morning rather than a child running from a belt.

I couldn't quite figure him out and I hated it. It made my skin hot. But it was something about him that only fascinated me more.  
  
  


**Emmett POV**

I was never one for emotions. I left those to Jasper and his games. But what seemed impossible just a couple of minutes ago was already within my reach.

"Which areas would become neutral ground?" Carlisle asked, still kind of suspicious of what the wolves had just proposed.

Edward waited for a bit before speaking, "How about the area within a one-mile radius of the treaty line?"

Carlisle absorbed the information, and his gentle grin made its way back to his face, "That sounds like a promising start."

And like that, the meeting had ended; not one side wanted to waste time getting away from the other. If it hadn't been for Carlisle making his way to the treaty line, everyone else would've left. At the treaty line, Carlisle hesitated a little bit, not enough for a human to notice but _just enough_ for our eyes to catch it. He extended his hand over the line and hoped it would be met with the pack leader. The intimidating wolf raised his head then lowered it, placing his paw in Carlisle's palm. Normally, a handshake would be extremely boring to watch, but this was something else.

After Carlisle let go of the paw, Ed spoke again and started pointing with his hand, "His name is Sam, and this is his pack. The three wolves on his right are Jared, Quil, and Jacob. The three wolves on his left are Embry, Seth, and Paul."

_Paul._

I never enjoyed having perfect memory as much as I did then. Never, in my entire existence, would I be able to forget his name. Nothing could take it away from me. I even thought of his name again and again so I could make new memories with it.

"Nice to meet you all. We look forward to getting to know you all better," Carlisle finished. He turned to Esme and grabbed her by the arm before letting us know we could leave.

Jasper, Edward, and Alice sped off to our house and were quickly followed by Carlisle and Esme. I started taking steps in their direction but couldn't help but feel something drawing me back. I turned around to meet the russet eyes burying into me.

We were alone. The wolves had bolted as quickly as my family did.

For the first time since I was human, I felt nervous. I could feel my body trying to sweat. I didn't know what to say, I just knew that I didn't want him to run away like last time. So, I said just that.

"Hi, Paul. I think we know each other already," I stumbled over my words. "Just don't run away like last time, alright?"

He understood exactly what I meant because the next thing I knew my back was on the ground under his silver belly fur trying not to laugh from the licks he gave my face.

"Ok, ok I get it. You won't run away," I cackled while I pulled myself up from the ground.

Once I was up, I started wondering if it would be too soon to ask him to shift back to his human form; I just wanted to hear his voice but wasn't sure if he felt comfortable enough. Before I could ask, he walked behind a tree and crouched on all fours. I felt a heatwave of his scent shake through the air joined by the smell of nylon. He quickly emerged from behind the tree shirtless and barefoot. The only piece of clothing on his body was a thin pair of black shorts that rested just above the middle of his thighs. A bulge that moved with each step he took caught my attention; I tried imagining what the bump would look like without the shorts. How could such a small piece of clothing leave so much to the imagination?

My imagination was out of control but was brought back down by the immense heat radiating from his hand in front of me.

"Hi, Emmett," his voice mellowed. "Guess we already do know each other."

His voice was playful, like someone up to no good. And his face was angular which only added to his wicked appeal.

I lifted my hand to meet him and when our skin touched for the first time, I swear I felt all the nerves in my body fire. My breath hitched and I felt a rush of warmth spread through my arms and into the rest of my body. As a vampire, I wasn't able to feel cold, but now I had a new perspective.

Cold would be whenever I wasn't with him.

His heat was almost intolerable, but for the first time in over a century, I was living a hot summer day. My arms automatically wrapped around his shoulders and made their way to his back and pulled; I was embracing him. The longer I hugged him, the warmer I felt him getting. It was beginning to hurt, but I didn't care. This is what I wanted.

In his human form, he was shorter than me, I was 6'5'' and he was 6'1''. Our heights were perfect for each other. Just like two puzzle pieces, my lips rested at his forehead, and my nose buried into his hair. My nose took in his scent and my pupils dilated. Not only did he feel like a burning fireplace, but he smelled like one too. He was roasting pine.

My thoughts were drowned out by the accelerating thud of his heartbeat.

"I make you nervous, don't I?" I teased into his forehead.

"No, you don't!" he huffed. His arms were at his sides but swiftly found their way to my waist and tugged. I could already tell he had a temper and stubborn attitude I would have to reckon with.

If it was possible to get any closer, we did. We both pulled to the point where our bodies were digging into each other. His hands were clawing into my waist, my hands were leaving impressions on his back, and both of our shafts started growing into each other. He raised his head and I saw his nose and brows furrowed in hunger, and I could hear blood rushing to his groin. Even out of his wolf form, he was still feral.

His look was enough to send me into a frenzy. I lost control of my strength and scratched his back drawing blood.

With the taste of his blood in the air, the tickle in my throat instantly turned into an unbearable scratching. Even a bear couldn't satisfy the thirst I felt _scorching_ my neck. My teeth were moving to strike his jugular until my eyes met his.

He wasn't scared. He wasn't even worried. Was he excited?

His look gave me enough time to save myself from my thirst. I broke our embrace and took a couple of steps back. I was afraid I would do something I would regret.

A mischievous expression spread across his face. "Like what you see?" he grinned.

His body was a renaissance statue. His arms showed he was trained; they were carved and strong. His chest muscles projected off his frame and thrusted out each time he took a breath. His abs were sharp and flexed with the slightest movement. All of his muscles throbbed with each of his heartbeats. I couldn't believe his skin was able to contain it all.

I wanted to feel him against me again, so I took a step forward. He turned around before I could pull him back into me and pointed to his back. The scratches I left had disappeared. All signs that I had touched him were gone. Part of me was relieved that he was okay, but another part of me was disappointed that I wouldn't be able to mark him as my own.

He chuckled with some arrogance in his voice, "I don't break easily."

It was impressive. He was human, but at the same time, he was something so much more.

"What was that all about?" he asked.

"What?" I was confused.

"The hugging and the touching," he answered and pursed his lips inward.

I paused for a second and thought. It was all still very new to me, the unbridled urges tugging at my hips and the desire I felt for the man in front of me were unfamiliar feelings. Something weird was definitely going on, but I didn't want to scare him off or ruin the mood with all of my thoughts.

"I don't know, if I remember correctly, you were touching me too," my face completely smug.

"Fine, I guess it won't happen again," he mocked me.

I crossed my arms, shut my eyes, and raised my head, "Okay, guess we won't see each other ever again then."

I felt his warm hand firmly grip my arm. The strength in his fingers told me he was already just as possessive as I was. "Maybe we just skipped a few steps," he caved.

"Maybe you're right, and I'm not going to say if you are...." I whispered into his ear, making him tremble. "But just in case you are, what's tomorrow looking like for you?"  
  
  
  
  
  


A/N: Is There a Place I Can Go by Trudy and the Romance


	8. Fall

**Paul POV**

I couldn't help but feel anxious. The only clothes I had brought were a pair of small nylon shorts, so there would be little to hide behind. What would he think of me? I knew that my wolf genes only helped improve my appearance, but would they be enough for the immaculate vampire who was waiting for me? 

I briefly fought the urge to run and left the tree before I could change my mind. At first, my feet dragged and kicked up the dirt under me, weighted by my insecurities, but eventually picked themselves up.

I extended my hand, "Hi, Emmett". I spoke with a low voice, trying to mask my nervousness, "Guess we already do know each other."

He reached and slowly took my hand like he was memorizing every line on my palm.

When our hands fully met, his cold skin siphoned the heat out of my arm. It initially startled me but wasn't painful or uncomfortable to any degree. In a way, his touch brought me back to a time before I knew any of this world existed, a time before I knew vampires and shapeshifters were real. 

It had been so long since the last time I felt anything that resembled the cold. Though, this sensation only lasted a couple of seconds until my body started compensating for the heat I lost.

After letting my hand linger a little too long on his, I decided to break the handshake before it became too awkward. Just when our fingers were slipping apart, I felt a brisk brush run past my shoulders and end on my back. His hands were now wrapped around me.

His movements blurred into the air, so my eyes saw nothing, but the rest of my body did feel every touch. I felt his lips idle on my forehead and his nose digging through my hair. Wherever his skin connected with mine, my skin raised its temperature.

He breathed new heat into parts of me I didn't know were previously numb. And my heart raced in celebration, slightly vibrating my body.

"I make you nervous, don't I?" he breathed into my forehead.

He did. But would I give him the satisfaction of letting him know that he had this much power over me? Definitely not.

"No, you don't," I pressed my nose into his chin.

I pulled his waist into me. I wanted to prove that I wouldn't hesitate to bring him closer.

His grip on me tightened, and mine on him. The growing pressures below our waists grew and rushed into each other. Having him in this state fed the electricity in my nerves, I was holding myself together with the last bit of patience I had. Would he want to go any further than this? With my hands digging into his hips, I looked up into his eyes, hoping he would receive the message.

Without a response to my question, I felt a sharp heat spread across my back and smelled the scent of my blood in the air. Since I was entirely focused on Emmett, it took me a while to notice the burn extending through my spine. But once I did, I couldn't help but clench my hands in pain around his sides. The pain cut to the bone but I knew it would only be a couple more seconds until it was over. Until then, I continued to look at Emmett.

With nostrils flared, brows furrowed, and teeth-baring, I saw him making his way to my neck until our eye contact stopped him. By then, the scent of iron was still in the air, but the injuries he left on my back had already recovered and the pain was only a memory.

I stared into his eyes, signaling that I wasn't scared. From the beginning, I knew this would be dangerous, maybe even unnatural, and only begging for disaster, but the universe had chosen him for me, and for that I was grateful.

I would never leave him.

He broke away from me and stepped back. At first, I was upset he had let go, but then realized it was because he was afraid of hurting me. He knew this was dangerous and taboo but did it anyway. This gave me a sense of pride, it meant he was enjoying this just as much as I was.

I grinned and raised my eyebrows, "Like what you see?"

I wanted to enjoy the fact that he was now the one who was flustered, but at the same time, wanted to let him know that I was okay. So, while he was moving towards me, I turned around and pointed to my unscathed back.

"I don't break easily," I chuckled.

I turned back around and met his gaze. He stood there staring at me, unflinching. It was hard to read his expression so I couldn't tell what was going on inside his mind. This moment was perfect just a couple of seconds ago, but now I could see that it was tainted.

What was he thinking?

I couldn't stand not knowing so I blurted out the first thing that came to mind just to break the silence, "What was that all about?"

"What?" his expression was foggy.

"The hugging and the touching," I answered. I _needed_ to know.

He paused before his expression completely changed to one that was cocky, "I don't know if I remember correctly you were touching me too."

He was teasing me; I had probably just overthought the entire situation.

Ever since I imprinted on him in the clearing, overthinking had become a bad habit of mine. It had only been one day, and my mind was already spinning for him.

I decided to play along, "Fine, I guess it won't happen again."

He crossed his arms and raised his head, "Okay, guess we won't see each other ever again then."

I knew he was joking, but I couldn't even entertain the thought of being apart. I would chase him into a tornado if it meant I would get to see him again. At that moment, my mind may have been inundated with worries of the future, but right here and right now, I knew he was _not_ getting away from me. I gripped his arm, perhaps a little too tight, "Maybe we just skipped a few steps," I sighed.

He leaned forward and brought his cool lips against my ear, "Maybe you're right, and I'm not going to say if you are....". He made me shiver, "But just in case you are, what's tomorrow looking like for you?"

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't swallow the knot building in my throat. Was any of this really happening? I could only stutter, "Uhm... I-I'm pretty sure I'm free."

"Ok," he was still speaking into my ear. "See you here at 6. Don't be late."

While he was backing away, he raised his gaze above me. I then felt a delicate tap against the top of my head followed by the sight of his hand reaching for my hair. I was completely melting under his touch.

" _Easy_ darling," he hummed. "Heavens falling on you."

He pulled a scarlet leaf off my head, a sign of the coming fall. Then, his free hand cupped mine and the other dropped the leaf into my palm.

"I know we just met, but you fascinate me," he confessed. Our eyes reflected on each other.

He smiled and slowly let go of my hands, "Sorry, but I have to leave before my family starts asking questions."

A narrowly failed attempt at keeping my hands from grasping him escaped my fingers in the form of a twitch.

He noticed and reassured me, "We'll see each other tomorrow."

I cherished the last moments I would have with him that day. The last time we saw each other, I ran away, but this time, I wouldn't dare be the first to leave. I watched him walk into the dense forest and heard his steps trail off in the distance.

A day never seemed so infinite before.

**.** **.** **.**

I was approaching my front door. I had stood at the treaty line well after Emmet left so I could process what happened until my hunger ultimately got the best of me and drove me back home or, more specifically, the kitchen. Through the window, I could see my father's hands rummaging through the fridge planning a late lunch. By the smell of the ingredients he was pulling out, I could tell we would have tuna sandwiches.

A smile was still plastered over my face as I stood in front of the door. I fixed myself before heading inside, but the rest of my body shared what my face wouldn't.

"Where've you been Paul?" my father asked with his hands now resting on the counter.

I hadn't yet thought of an explanation, so I scrambled to come up with one before my pause made him even more curious.

"You're looking better son," he beamed before I could speak.

"Thanks, Dad," I grinned. "I feel better too."

"Here, why don't you sit while I prepare you something to eat and you can tell me about your day."

The only thing I could be bribed with was food, and my father knew that. And after the stunt I pulled yesterday, I couldn't blame him for trying to get me to talk.

"I'm making tuna sandwiches," he said. "I'm going to guess you'll want 3."

I gave in and sat at our sorrel, rounded table, and waited for him to join me. Not long after, he placed a plate with 3 heaping sandwiches in front of me. I gently grabbed the biggest one, trying not to spill any of its contents but it was too full. No matter how softly I tried to hold it, some of the tuna fell on the table.

"Here you go," my father said with a mouthful of food as he handed me a napkin.

He sat down and waited for me to clean my mess before he started again, "You were gone when I woke up. Were you on patrol again?"

"Yeah, me and Quil," I responded.

"And?" my father urged.

"And we also had a meeting," I was only responding with the information I wanted him to hear.

However, he was motivated to get me to talk and it showed on his face, "What did you guys talk about?"

He wouldn't stop pestering until I gave him what he wanted, so I had to come clean. "We met the Cullens at the treaty line," I winced.

His chewing stopped and his sandwich fell on the plate. He looked at me with slight terror, "Well that's something!"

I now had to backtrack and fix whatever chaos my words had possibly created. "It was all good though. The meeting went by quickly and there shouldn't be any problems. They were actually kind of nice," I trailed with a half-smile.

"You be careful now Paul," he warned me. "Remember the stories. Vampires are dangerous!"

A small grimace overtook my face when he said those words. At that moment I knew there was no reality where he would accept my imprint and in no reality would he get to know the entire version of me. Even though the imprint had nearly severed all of my attachments other than Emmett, my father's words still left a sting.

"We're dangerous too..." I trailed off.

We changed the subject after that. He went on about how he caught the biggest halibut he had ever seen that morning. And how his job at the law firm was picking up. I think he might've said something about a big case against a corporation in Seattle for 'mishandling' funds, but I wouldn't know. All I could do was try to contain my frustration. How dare he relegate Emmett to something so thoroughly wrong and flat? At that point, steam was rising from my skin.

His voice was only a noise I was trying to ignore playing in the background until it wasn't.

Painful, hacking coughs replaced his words. Immediately, I thought he was well-deservedly choking on his food up to when I heard the sounds of moisture in his lungs. I looked up to see him clutching his chest struggling to breathe and ran to the kitchen for a glass of water.

I returned to the table with glass in hand and hesitated when I noticed the metallic smell coming from his right sleeve.

He had coughed up blood.

By the time the glass was in his hand, his coughing fit had stopped, but my mind was still on the smell.

"Thank you," he heaved.

"Dad don't talk right now," I begged. "Just focus on breathing."

When he had a few sips and finally caught his breath, I pleaded, "Can you go to the doctor? Please!"

"Oh, that's not going to be necessary," he opposed. "It's nothing to worry about, I j-just choked on my food."

"Please dad," I pleaded. "I can tell it was more than just a cough."

He gripped the sleeve he used to catch his blood, "Ok, I'll go. But only to prove you wrong."

"Then prove me wrong," I said.

He got up from the seat and refilled his glass of water in the kitchen. I watched him attentively, scared that he would cough again and absolutely prepared in case he did. With faintly labored breathing, he made his way down the hall to his room and got into bed. Once I heard his snoring, I relaxed a little, finishing the last bite of the sandwich in front of me.

I wiped the table, cleaned the dishes, and headed into my room. I was still only wearing my shorts, so I quickly got undressed and changed into a loose pair of boxer briefs. My room had never felt so necessary.

For the next couple of hours, I would listen in on my dad's breathing, making sure he was okay. Lying on my bed, I came to understand what I felt was nothing compared to anything I had experienced before.

I felt utter fear.

A/N: Blue Bell by Golden Daze


	9. Time Together

**Emmett POV**

As I was approaching our glasshouse, I saw Alice and Jasper making their way down the front steps.

"Emmett, where were you?" Alice asked.

She answered her own question with a nose pinch, "Wait never mind, we can smell it on you."

"I stayed behind and talked to one of the shifters," I admitted. I wasn't in the mood to argue or engage in any sort of banter, so I just answered her questions. I wasn't about to let anything ruin the really great mood I was in.

"You should've let us know. Just to be safe." Carlisle muttered from the kitchen. "I was about to send Alice and Jasper to look for you."

"Don't worry, it's the shifter who saw me feed," I raised my hands in innocence. "The least I could do was introduce myself."

"I'm glad to see someone finally learned some manners," Esme quipped from her office upstairs.

"Funny," I taunted.

"Someone's feeling happy," Jasper teased. Whatever he was insinuating, Alice picked it up.

"Really?" she squeaked. "Which one is he? What's his name?"

"His name is..." Edward whispered from his room, interrupted by my thoughts.

_"Shut up! At least let me have this,"_ I groaned inside my head _._

Did I really want to tell my family about the man who inhabited every single one of my thoughts?

Not really.

Did I want to let them know I had found my potential mate in a shapeshifter, our mortal enemy?

Nope.

Did I have any other choice?

Probably not.

So, I decided to sugar coat my answers as much as was possible in this house.

"His name is Paul, and he was the silver, ash furred wolf at the meeting." Knowing Alice, she would keep asking questions until I told her everything, so I had to find a way to escape this conversation.

"And?" she goaded.

My mind circled back to Paul's warmth, "And he's the one who smells like pine."

At this stage, I didn't actually know much about Paul. I knew his skin felt like fire in a shell and his hair was a forest I wanted to get lost in, but apart from that, I was clueless about him. That would have to change tomorrow. On the bright side, not knowing anything might've helped me dodge Alice's barrage of questions.

"Pine? What pine?" she questioned. "That's definitely not the scent we get..."

"...That's strange. His smell is completely different for you," curiosity dwelled in her voice. Then the dots started visibility clicking in her head. For once, Edward wouldn't be the one blabbering my business to everyone else.

I was somewhat impressed Alice had figured it out without the help of her ability but fully annoyed that one more person would know about Paul. Over half the family already knew my secret and not one word about it passed my own lips.

She leaned forward like a cat preparing to pounce, "Is that _everything_ about him?"

I glared at her, "It's everything I want to say."

"Oh c'mon Emmett, you're no fun!" she whined. "I figured it out and Edward probably already knows anyway. Why won't you just tell me?"

"Because I want it to be mine!" I snapped. My arms crossed and tried to hide whatever part of me wasn't exposed.

"Don't you understand Emmett?" she put her hand above my elbow. "He already is."

A grin teased at my lips. As much as I found Alice's lack of boundaries irksome, her intentions were never harmful. And I may even go as far as to say that they were generous. "Thank you for that," I spoke.

I reveled in her words before continuing. "Oh, and by the way, Jasper knows too."

"What?!" she gasped. She turned to Jasper with eyes wide and mouth gaped from shock, "And you didn't tell me? _Interesting_ to finally see where your loyalties lie."

"S-Sorry darlin'. Emmett didn't even know what he felt until I explained it to him," Jasper was rushing to cover his bases. "And I was going to tell you just now before he showed up."

Their little exchange was cut short by Carlisle and Esme walking outside. Esme cut in, "What's this about?"

"Uh, nothing. It's all really just a funny story," I was stalling until a good answer popped into my head. "You see, I actually kind of sort of befriended a wolf."

"Is that all?" Esme asked. Her instincts were telling her to probe further.

"Yeah." I returned her stare worried she would become suspicious if I didn't. We stayed like this for a couple of seconds, it was a battle of pure willpower, and one I was quickly losing.

"That's great to hear!" Carlisle saved me from the clutches of Esme's all-powerful glare. "This is unprecedented but could change our relationship with the shifters for the better."

I was finally allowed a moment of peace when her attention shifted to Carlisle.

"You are now an ambassador of sorts Emmett, don't do anything irresponsible." It sounded like he was scolding me for something I hadn't even done yet.

"Now that we've gotten that out of the way, please go shower," Jasper mumbled.

"All of your noses suck!" I snarled as I sped up the stairs into my room.  
  
  


**3rd Person POV**

Emmett hesitated to do as he was told. He wasn't fully prepared to wash his wolf's scent off his body. But the thought of being with him soon gave him enough peace with the idea of showering.

As usual, he left the water running cold and slipped behind the glass shower door. With the water running down his statuesque physique, he turned the knob all the way to the left. Now, his water was as hot as Paul.

He stood there with his eyes closed, using the heat of the water to take him back to the treaty line. What was supposed to be a 10-minute shower turned into one that lasted over two hours.

**. . .**

The last time Emmett went on a date, he was still human.

Etiquette, fashion, and expectations had all changed since then so he was struggling to come up with an idea of where to take Paul, but most importantly, what to wear. He sat on his futon the entire night, morning, and afternoon, his white towel still the only thing on him, and brainstormed far too many ideas. At that point, he was feeling both excited and nervous to see Paul and couldn't help but think through every possible scenario. He was done playing out the 57th complete date in his head when the perfect idea came to him - Emmett figured that they would go to one of his favorite places.

Before he knew it, his phone displayed 5:40 pm and it was time to choose an outfit.

Thanks to Alice, there were so many options in his wardrobe, but he still had no fashion sense to put something together. He stared and stared until he started pulling out random pieces with his eyes closed.

"Too formal."

"Too bright."

"It's too cold for that."

"This isn't even my shirt!"

"Hmmmmm...."

Emmett was getting impatient. He began desperately sifting through his memories of the countless times Alice helped him hoping to stumble on useful advice.

"You can never go wrong with a solid long-sleeve button-down, black jeans, and some boots," he could hear her in his thoughts.

Almost immediately, he picked a pocketless, dark olive button-down hanging in his closet and dug for his black pair of slim fit jeans in his drawer. Within 3 seconds, Emmett was wearing the shirt and after another 4 seconds, he was wearing the jeans along with a belt. All that was left to complete his ensemble were his dark brown lace-up boots.

In the corner of his room, he could smell last month's hunting trip. He walked and picked them up by the collar and sat on his futon to put them on.

"I've fought bears, mountain lions, and even punched a whale in these shoes. I can definitely go on a date in them," he thought.

His phone now read 5:50 pm. It was time to head out.

He quickly pocketed the pile of coins on his shelf, jumped outside from his window, and sprinted to his Jeep. While he was driving away, he could see his siblings behind their house windows in the reflection of his rearview mirror. Their image soon shrunk in the distance and disappeared when he turned onto a muddy trail. His Jeep struggled and juddered through the path up to the treaty line. Once there, he stopped the engine and got out of his car to greet the man waiting for him.

"Hey, Paul!"

"Hi, Emmett," Paul's arms halfway around him.

Paul's grip on his imprint was tightening every second. He rested his head on Emmett's shoulder and his breathing was slightly heavy. Paul was hugging him like he needed to. And Emmett noticed.

He returned the embrace, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm just happy to see you."

As much as hearing that brought him joy, Emmett couldn't shake the feeling something was bothering Paul. He showed him to the jeep, his arm hovering over Paul's waist and his eyes fixated on his tense jawline. They made their way out of the muddy trail.

"Are you cold? Want me to turn on the heat?"

"Nope, supernatural perk."

"So, you never get cold?"

"Nope, never. Our body temperature is super high."

Emmett took advantage of the situation and took Paul's hand in his own. Immediately, Paul's face beamed, whatever was bothering him before had disappeared.

"No wonder your skin feels like an open flame," Emmett smiled.

"So, what you're saying is that I'm hot?" Paul joked.

"I wouldn't go _that_ far," Emmett teased.

"Hey, I'm curious," Emmett was nervous. "Have you always been a shifter?"

"No, I was pretty much a normal human until I turned 16."

For some unknown reason, Paul didn't feel comfortable telling him about the imprint yet. Everything else, however, he would share, "My temper was horrible. I mean, I've always been described as a little hot-headed, even before the transformation. But after I filled in and my body temperature skyrocketed, my temper became something else. Then, it just.... stopped."

"Do you know why?"

"Honestly, not really. Life seemed dull, even as a shifter. I saw no point in getting angry anymore."

Emmett grew worried for Paul.

"Of course, that was until I met you."

From the corner of Emmett's lips, a small smile escaped. He gave a small glance over to Paul before returning his eyes to the road.

"Where are you taking me?"

"Don't worry about it."

"You should've told me. I didn't even know what to wear."

"You look perfect."

And he did. In the small glance Emmett was able to steal, he took the chance to admire the character of the black leather jacket that decorated Paul's frame along with the navy-blue long sleeve that hugged his chest and the black jeans that were tight enough to show the lines of muscle but loose enough to fold with a fidget of his legs.

Paul blushed. His 110-degree heat briefly rose to 111 before settling back down.

"My turn. This life..." Paul hesitated. "How did it start?"

Nobody outside Emmett's immediate family knew his story. It wasn't a matter of keeping it secret, rather it was a matter of having no one to share it with.

"I was hunting for game when I encountered a black bear," he paused. "Let's just say I wasn't the winner of that fight." Emmett was avoiding the gruesome details, "Luckily, Carlisle and Esme found me and brought me back home."

"And the transformation?"

"The venom was agonizing."

Paul knew not to press further, at least not now.

Emmett massaged his thumb into Paul's palm.

Shortly, like a never-ending game of tennis, they began asking each other questions about any topic they could think of. Everything from interests to believing in ghosts was fair game.

Soon, an hour had passed, and they were parking next to a building on the Port Angeles dock.

The building's metal exterior was rusty and beaten down by the constant rain. Paul could tell it had stood the test of time. Emmett tugged at Paul's fingertips, leading the way to the wooden dock and past the entrance to the inside. The smell of dust joined by metallic hums filled their senses until their eyes adjusted to the sight of dozens of old machines.

"This is what you would call an arcade," Emmett anxiously waited for Paul's reaction. "But from my time."

"Woah.... this is so cool!" Paul's hands punctuated his enthusiasm. "How'd you even find this?"

Emmett's shoulders relaxed, "it's a pretty long story. But I've had a lot of time to come across it."

"Fair," Paul admitted. "But don't think you're getting out of telling me the story later."

"You're too stubborn for your own good."

They both walked to the nearest machine, a red, table-shaped box with a pane of glass and two steering wheels. Behind the glass pane, there were two cars on a figure 8 racetrack.

"Wanna see who's the better driver?" Paul challenged.

"Please, I've been driving longer than you can remember."

Emmett pulled a quarter out of his pocket and used it to start the machine.

The two cars moved on the track and lagged around the curves. The pair turned the steering wheels, making the cars go faster around the turns. It was a race.

3 laps were all it took for Paul to claim victory. "All that talk and nothing to back it up with," he shoved Emmett with his shoulder.

"That was just beginners' luck."

"Sure it was."

"Again, since you're feeling so brave."

$1.25 later, Emmett had only managed to win once. No matter how many hundreds of times he had played this exact game before, he couldn't seem to best Paul. It was a tiny blow to his ego, but he wouldn't want it to have come from anyone else. He swiftly accepted defeat and trudged to the next game that piqued his interest. Now, they were standing in front of a tall machine that had the shape of a wrestler painted on its surface. It had a level table in the middle where a mechanical arm jutted out waiting for anyone who dare challenge its strength.

"This is the closest I'll ever get to arm wrestling a human," Emmett chuckled. "It's not as much fun as it was, but I always play whenever I come here."

He fed the game a coin and wrapped his hand around the machine's. Slowly, the mechanical arm moved to the left until it met Emmett's strength. His face was unphased, he wasn't even trying. His power was already amazing, but Paul grew even more impressed when Emmett used only his pinky finger to push against the arm. Needless to say, the game lost.

"Your turn," Emmet smirked as he popped another coin to restart the game.

Paul rested his elbow on the table prepared to meet the arm. When his strength met the machine's, his bicep slightly tensed. He was strong too, maybe not as much as Emmett or any other vampire, but he could still win with ease.

"See, that was _too_ easy."

"I heard your muscle contract, so I won."

"Hold up, you didn't say anything about a competition."

"Did I have to? You would've lost anyway."

"Let me change form and we'll have a rematch."

Emmett grabbed Paul by the waist and pulled into him, completely catching him by surprise. Their breaths mingled, their faces only centimeters apart and closing in on each other.

A piercing bell chime traveled through the air and broke their attention.

Both turned to look for the source and found a fortune-telling machine.

The heat in Paul's face subsided and he let out a nervous chuckle. Emmett beamed at the sound of Paul's laugh.

"Let's get our fortune's read," Emmett said and he led Paul to the machine by the waist.

A bust of a woman dressed in ornate headscarves, fabrics, and jewelry sat behind a glass pane. The chipped paint on her hands and face added to the occult atmosphere around the machine.

"I'll go first," Paul volunteered.

Emmett put the coin in Paul's hand so he could insert it this time. He didn't want to risk Paul's fortune with his own.

After receiving the coin, lustrous harp sounds came from the contraption. The crystal ball in front of the bust glowed white and an accented voice spoke, "Your fortune is for my telling."

A small, white card came from a slit in the box.

Paul read, "Everything you love is on the table."

Neither of them knew what the fortune meant. They were stumped.

"I think it's supposed to be confusing," Emmett explained. "And open-ended, just to make you think."

Paul felt satisfied with that explanation and let Emmett take his place before the fortune teller.

After the noises and glow played out again, he withdrew his card from the machine.

He read, "There's a bright white beautiful heaven hanging over you."

At first, he didn't understand the cryptic message or know what it was referring to, but as he thought about it more and more, he recognized the heaven standing right in front of him.

A few days ago, he had nothing to lose, nothing to cry over. But now, he had everything.  
  
  
  
  
  


A/N: Don't Swallow the Cap by The National


	10. Intimacy

**Paul POV**

I buried my face into Emmet's chest. Had I done so any harder and I probably would've broken my nose.

My legs intertwined with his as he reached over me and pulled my blanket over us.

"Comfortable?" he asked.

"More than you can imagine," I breathed.

His right arm wrapped around my torso and his left played with my hair.

These past couple of weeks had been more than I could wish for. We made it a habit to spend every day together and he spoiled me by letting me wake up in his arms each morning. Every night, he offered to spend the night and every time, without fail, I said yes. I was starting to believe he was the one who needed it more, but it wasn't something I was going to hold against him.

I rubbed his leg with mine and pulled into him and he responded by nestling his face into my hair.

"It's never enough," he whispered.

"What isn't?" I wiggled my head in his face.

"I could be right next to you, like right now, and I still have to do a double-take," he smiled. "I could never get used to you."

My breathing quivered. I raised my head and looked at him in awe - each word I heard escape his lips was a gift. I could never get used to him either. Naturally, I broke eye contact and gazed at his mouth.

Up until now, we had yet to share a kiss. Emmett was wary despite seeing how much I wanted it – I could tell he was scared of hurting me. However, this time, for whatever reason, was proving to be different. He was slowly closing the distance between us.

His cool lips hugged and met mine several times. The sounds our lips made together fueled the depth of my pecks and turned them into hungry kisses. His sweet flavor danced in my mouth as our lips parted and reinvigorated when they met again.

Our positions changed. He sat upright and I sat on him, my pounding chest pressed against his. I wanted him to feel every beat and understand how much I enjoyed his touch. His low moans were his way of letting me know he was enjoying this too.

My hands found their way to his dark hair and his to my back. Just as I was pulling him in for another kiss, Emmett put his thumb on my lips and spoke, "Just wait a little."

I pressured, "What's wrong?"

"You're hurt," he frowned.

A soreness on my lips echoed but was drowned out by his taste.

"It's just a little bruising."

"I'm just being careful," he caressed my temple.

"Careful huh? So, it's not a problem if I do this?" I pushed him on his back and tickled his neck with small bites.

His dimples broke through and decorated his stifled laugh.

"Stop, you're going to wake your dad."

As much as I enjoyed seeing his smile, I knew he was right.

From the first time he slept over, the night of our first date, I've helped him sneak into my room through the window. At first, we tried to hide from the pack, but they immediately caught on. "Guess we can make an exception," Sam choked as he laughed at the thought of me and Emmett creating an elaborate plan only to fail. At the moment, it was extremely embarrassing, but come to think of it, fully worth it.

I paused just long enough to make out the sounds of my dad's snores down the hall.

"We're good," I sighed, resting my head on Emmett's chest.

"I think the bed might be more comfortable pup."

"Yeah, but the bed isn't you."

He wrapped his arms a little too tightly around me, forcing some air out.

"Whoops," he apologized. "My bad."

"You're good," I laughed. "It's actually pretty nice."

The comfort Emmett's arms provided me grew with each passing second so the sleep that washed over me came as no surprise.

**Emmett POV**

Paul's breaths grew shallow and slow. I watched him as he relaxed in my arms and fell asleep.

How funny this whole thing was. I hadn't expected to meet my mate in this boring town, much less in a wolf. My only plan was to get through high school, again, and move onto the next town. If I was lucky, I would've found another vampire to share a predictable eternity with.

But it seems Paul had other plans for me.

Without even trying, he forged a part of himself onto my being and became an inevitability. Now, my only hope was that he viewed me the same way. This was the only time I wished for a piece of Jasper or Edward's power, just to know what was inside that hot head of his.

We had spent weeks together and I know that's not much time, but my fate was sealed from the moment I laid eyes on him in the clearing. So, it would only make sense to take the next step, right?

I had been meaning to introduce him to my family for a while now partly because I wanted to put an end to their _annoying_ questions but mostly because I wanted to show off how great Paul was - no one's mate was better than mine.

Last night, I told myself I would convince Paul to come over. Before I could ask, the night turned into morning which turned into the afternoon, and then into tonight. By the time I was ready to spill, he was half asleep, and I didn't want to keep him up with my question.

My thoughts were interrupted by a small growl coming from Paul. His eyes were scrunched, and his breathing was irregular.

I gently ran my hands through his hair and whispered, "Paul, wake up."

He jolted awake like he was surprised by his surroundings.

"Are you okay?"

He looked around until his eyes found me, "No yeah... I was just... having a bad dream."

"Talk to me."

His eyes glazed over as he tried to pull together the pieces.

"Don't worry Em, it was just a bad dream."

He wasn't trying to make it a big deal, but I could tell he was still unsettled. All I could do was help him feel better, so I took off my shirt and let his skin touch mine. I pulled him closer to me, making sure he would feel me around him at all times. Paul warmed my chest with his face and struggled to close his eyes, but once he did, he stayed asleep.

He stayed like this for hours and soon the sun started peeking behind his curtain. He would wake up in a couple of minutes and I would have to scram before his dad got out of bed.

**3rd Person POV**

Paul's eyes fluttered open and before he was fully awake, his nose reminded him where he was.

"You sleep better?"

"Yeah, much better."

Just as Paul was rubbing his eyes, Emmett massaged his back, his hand slipping a little lower than expected. Immediately, Paul's back curled.

"My ba-," Emmett breathed.

Before his apology was even finished, Paul had already peppered deep, slow kisses on Emmett's chest, making his way up to his neck. Emmett was momentarily stunned from the pleasure his mate's warm lips brought his skin and could only muster restrained moans.

"Em, you really want this?" Paul was breathing heavily.

Emmett slammed his lips against Paul's, exchanging his breath with his own. His tongue inched its way out of his mouth and was met with Paul's. Their tongues pushed and danced against each other, thirsty for a taste of the other. At that moment, there was nothing more important to Emmett than making Paul his, and nothing more important to Paul than taking Emmett as his own.

Paul slid his hand down Emmett's chest and abs past his boxer's waistband. He took the thick, heavy length in his hand and brought it out from behind the underwear that kept it hidden. His pupils dilated and his mouth agitated with hunger.

"Your mine," Paul growled.

He brought his face down to the base and kissed every inch to the top, grateful that it was all his. Paul stared at the head and was briefly hypnotized by the thought of having it in his mouth. He couldn't wait any longer, so he separated his lips and carefully took in Emmett.

He inched his way to the base, struggling to fit it all in his mouth. Paul stifled a small gag, which only made his throat tighten around Emmett.

"Fuck, Paul," was all Emmett could say.

After letting his throat adjust to the size, Paul started bobbing his head up and down and let the wet friction draw out low noises from his imprint. Emmett grabbed hold of Paul's hair and pushed him down to the base. He wanted to feel Paul around _all_ of him.

Careful thrusts erupted out of Emmett's hips and Paul gladly met them with his face. He cupped Emmett's balls in his hand and started lightly tugging and squeezing them, intensifying the entire experience for him. Using the noises coming from Emmett, Paul either prolonged or quickened a movement.

Soon, Emmett was on the edge and Paul knew it. He kept praising Emmett's cock until he saw his face start to twist. The entire length throbbed in his mouth as cum hit the back of Paul's throat, the sheer force that it shot out with was fitting for a vampire. He finished by licking Emmett clean, paying special attention to his balls.

All Emmett could do was stare at his mate with pure adoration. Paul returned his look, the tip still leaking on his lips. He pulled his way to meet Emmett's face, cupping both sides of his jawline and lightly pecking his lips.

Paul had marked Emmett with his touch. He had made Emmett his and there was nothing that could change that.

This moment was perfect. Perfect enough to make Emmett feel stupid for waiting so long. Perfect enough to last forever had it not been interrupted by the buzzing of Paul's phone.

"Ugh!" Paul could only guess it was Sam.

He wiggled out of the embrace holding Emmett's hand to at least have some part with him.

His guess was right. " _Pack meeting. Have a surprise for everyone,_ " displayed on the screen.

"Who is it?" Emmett was slightly upset at whoever had drawn his love from his arms.

"It's just Sam. He's calling a meeting."

"Do you have to go?"

"Yeah, but don't worry it shouldn't take long."

"Should I wait here, or....?"

"No, you don't have to if you don't want to."

"Believe me, I want to. But I think your father is about to wake up so I should probably just head out."

"Yeah, that's smart."

Both got quickly dressed and stole quick glances at each other. Emmett slipped out the window first, which Paul used as an excuse to grab his ass.

"I'm only helping you," he laughed.

"Might just stay put and force you to stay here all day then," Emmett retorted.

Once outside, they took each other's hand and walked to the trees. Five minutes in, they had to go on separate paths.

"I'll see you soon," Paul gave a kiss. He broke away after some time, heading in the opposite direction.

"See you soon," Emmett watched him disappear into the thick forest.

**Paul POV**

Was it bad that I wanted Emmett's taste in my mouth all the time? I had savored every last bit of him, but I couldn't get enough. Sam interrupting didn't help either since we were just about to seal the deal. Anyway, it would have to wait until after this ridiculous pack meeting.

The closer I got to Sam and Emily's place, the more my nose was picking up a familiar scent. I forgot whose it was, but it wasn't alarming. Though, right after I noticed it, I also picked up a dry sweet scent very much like a concentrated flowery perfume. It was slightly familiar but gave me a horrible headache.

I knew only one thing could smell like that, and I had to tell the others right away.

I sprinted to Sam's house, swinging the front door wide open and yelling.

"HURRY! THERE'S A LEE-"

My eyes adjusted to see a bob of black hair sitting next to the putrid scent.

The black hair swung as they turned to look at me and I finally saw who it was.

"Leah?!"

"Paul, no way! You look just as dumb as I remember."

"Still so god damn annoying. What're you doing here?"

"Sam's message finally got to me. Am I late?"

"No shit you're late!"

"Well, I'm here so..."

My attention shifted to the bloodsucker right next to her. Of course, she was familiar, she was the one we had chased the night Leah left.

"This is Rosalie," Leah introduced her. "I take it you recognize her."

"Sorry," I smirked.

"No hard feelings," Rosalie sang.

Like the Cullens, she was inhumanely beautiful but like more. She had the trademark golden eyes of a 'vegetarian', something I _know_ Leah made her do. At first, I couldn't look away for more than a couple of seconds - her beauty demanded your attention. But thinking of Emmett helped.

"So, Sam tells me you imprinted on a vampire."

"I might've."

"Who is he?"

**3rd Person POV**

So, Paul told her _almost_ everything, _some_ things had to stay between himself and Emmett. Just as he was sharing his story, Seth barged in followed by the others.

His nose had alerted him before his eyes did.

He began crying and rushed to hug his big sister.

"You're back," he coughed.

"I told you I'll be back."

**. . .**

Seeing Seth happy was like finding the last missing puzzle piece, everything was falling into place.

Paul smiled the whole way back home, still excited about the reunion. He couldn't wait to tell Emmett.

Just like he had done dozens of times before, he was going to open the front door and rush to his room and wait for his imprint.

But, when he would enter his house, he would find something that would shatter those expectations.

A/N: When I'm Small by Phantogram


End file.
